Derivatives of cortical hormones



United SW68 P e t; y

DERIVATIVES 0F CORTICAL HORMONES Hershel L. Herzog, Mor'mtain'View, N. J.

No Drawing. Application January 11, 1955 SerialNo. 481,271

2 Claims. (Cl. 260397.'45)

This invention relates to oxygenated derivatives of cortical hormones andto methods and intermediates for their preparation.

I have discoveredthatcertain oxygenated cortical hormones are 'valuable intermediates for the preparation of A -pregnadiene-l1B,l7a,21-triol-3,20-dione and A pregnadiene-17a,21-dio1-3,11,20-trione, powerful antiarthritic agents described in copending application Serial No. 464,159, filed October 22, 1954 by Arthur Nobile.

In particular, 6-bromo-4-pregnene-17a,2l-diol-3,l1,20- trione 2l-acetate may be converted to 4-pregnene-2,l7u, 21-triol-3,11,20-trione and 6-bromo-4-pregnene-11,8,17u, 2l-triol-3,20-dione ll-formate-Zl-acetate to 4-pregnene- 2,115,17a,2l-tetrol-3,20-dione, as well as to the corresponding 2,2l-diacetates in each case. These oxygenated derivatives may be converted by appropriate treatment with acids or bases to the antiarthritic compounds A -pregnadiene-1lfi,l7u,2l-triol-3,20-dione and A pregnadiene-17a,2l-diol-3,l1,20-trione, thereby providing new and valuable routes for the synthesis of these desirable products. The oxygenated derivatives also possess adrenocortical properties and are consequently useful in therapy.

The compounds of this invention are prepared conveniently from the available starting materials 6-bromo- 4-pregnene-l7a,21-diol-3,11,20-trione (Kendall, et al., J. Biol. Chem., 197, 261 (1952) and 6-bromo-4-pregnenellfl,17a,2l-triol-3,20-dione ll-formate 2l-acetate (from the bromination according to Kendall of 4-pregnene-l1 9,

l7a,21-triol-3,20-dione ll-formate 2l-acetate) by treatment with an alkali metal salt of a lower alkanoic acid,

preferably sodium acetate or potassium acetate. In this way the respective 2-alkanoates are prepared. Mild hydrolysis with aqueous or alcoholic acids or bases may be employed to convert the 2-alkanoates to the Z-hydroxysteroids.

$Hr0 R (EH20 R 0:0 0:0 OH OH I MO R OH- O or E'- I Br R=lower alkanoic acid radical R=lower alkanoic acid radical CHrOH $0 HZQO Patented Oct. 21, 1958 The conversion of 4-pregnene 2,17a,2l-triol-3,11,20- trione-2,2l-diacetate to A -pregnadiene-l7a,21-diol-3,l1, 20-trione 2l-acetate, a powerful antiarthritic substance, by the action of hydrogen bromide in acetic acid illustrates the utility of the Z-oXygenated compounds.

Examples (1) 4-pregnene-2,17a,21-triol-3,11,20-trione 2,21-diacetate.-A solution of 2.0 g. of 6-bromo-4-pregnene-170:,21- diol-3,11,20-trione 2l-acetate in ml. of glacial acetic acid is heated under reflux in a nitrogen atmosphere with 10 g. of anhydrous potassium acetate for four hours. The reaction mixture is then diluted with water and the products are extracted with ethyl acetate. The extracts are dried, concentrated in vacuo and the residue is taken up in a small volume of methylene chloride. The resulting solution is chromatographed on Florisil (magnesium silicate) and the solid material which is eluted with 50% ether-hexane is recrystallized several times from acetonehexane afiording 4-pregnene-2,17a,2l-triol-3,11,20-trione 2,21-diacetate, M. P. 2l0-215 C.

(2) 4-pregnene-2,1 711,21-tri0l-3,1],20-tri0ne.To a refiuxing solution of 1.0 g. of 4-pregnene-2,l7a,2l-triol- 3,11,20-trione 2,2l-diacetate in 100 ml. of C. P. methanol, under a nitrogen atmosphere, is added 0.45 g. of potassium bicarbonate dissolved in 10 ml. of water. The mixture is refluxed 3-5 minutes and the pH is then adjusted to 6.8-7.0 by the addition of acetic acid. The resulting mixture is then concentrated in vacuo to a solid residue, the residue is leached thoroughly with ethyl acetate and the extracts are concentrated. The residues are then crystallized from acetone-hexane altording crystalline 4-pregnene-2,l7a,21-triol-3,11,20-trione.

(3) 6-br0m0-4-pregnene-1 15,1 7a,21-tri0l-3,20-dione 11- formate 21-acetate.To ml. of chlorobenzene is added 1.6 g. of 4-pregnene-11 3,l7a,2l-triol-3,20-dione ll-formate 21-acetate and the mixture is warmed until solution of the steroid is complete. Thereupon m1. of dry carbon tetrachloride is added and the mixture is boiled to remove water. Then 4.2 ml. of a 10% solution of pyridine in carbon tetrachloride and 0.79 g. of N-brornsuccinimide are added, carbon dioxide is bubbled through the mixture, the mixture is illuminated by a 50-watt, frosted bulb placed in contact with the. flask and the reaction is heated rapidly to boiling. After 10 20 minutes of heating the N-bromsuccinimide has reacted completely; the solution is cooled, washed with water and concentrated in vacuo. The residue may be crystallized from methylene chloride-hexane to afiord crystalline 6- bromo-4-pregnene-1 1,8,17a,21-triol-3,20-dione ll'formate 21-acetate.

(4) 4-pregnene-2,1 113,1 7a,21-tetrol-3,20-di0ne I 1 -formate 2,21 -diacetate.-The reaction is conducted exactly as described in the first example except that 6-brom0-4- pregnene-l1,8,17a,21-triol-3,20-dione ll-formate 21-acetate is the starting steroid. The above-named product is chromatographed over Florisil and the crystalline fractions (50% ether-hexane and 100% ether) are pooled and recrystallized from acetone hexane.

(5 4-pregnene-2,1I13,170:,21-tetr0l-3,20-di0ne.-A solution of 0.5 g. of 4-pregnene-2,1l5,17a,21-tetrol-3,20- dione ll-formate 2,21-diacetate in 50 ml. of C. P. methanol is treated with a solution of 0.165 g. of sodium hydroxide in 5 ml. of water under an argon atmosphere. The reaction mixture is allowed to stand at room temperature overnight and is then neutralized with acetic acid. The solution is concentrated in vacuo and the residue is extracted thoroughly with ethyl acetate. The extracts are concentrated and the residue is crystallized from acetone-hexane affording crystalline 4-pregnene-2, 11,3,17a,21-tetrol-3,20 dione.

4 I claim: 1. A compound of the group of the formula cmoR wherein R is selected from the group consisting of hydro- 15 gen and lower alkanoic acid radicals. 

1. COMPOUND OF THE GROUP OF THE FORMULA 